Yeah the hellish summers are getting to me and with cooler weather in the fall and young kids it's more satisfying to focus my weekends around doing family things together outside. Sure I go to a game or too and we are inside I'm searching for the game on a screen but I don't shape my weekend on it. Flag there are many others that feel the same

I would probably call it managed expectations...I always want the best for the Ags, but realize that sometimes through better coaching (anyone notice the 11 Bama coaches on the sideline watching our guys warm up?), better recruits, or better luck at which way the ball bounces... the Ags will lose a game or two...or three... or four. Just as they will win just as many (LSU last year).

The point is that it's Aggie Football (baseball, basketball, soccer, etc.) and I support the university that hires the coaches to recruit these kids to wear the maroon and white.

I've never seen one of these kids not try their hardest (even slider - hell I'd slide too if 6'4 280lbs running a 4.4 was trying to take my head off) when involved in a competition.

My outlook on this isn't BAS, low expectations, or acceptance of lesser competition to have a better W-L record. It's simply a realization that (as compared to the best teams at this time) we are short in a few areas that the coaches will try to address through game management - and/or recruiting.

I don't normally post to the Zoo because... we'll... being the Zoo flame away - but realize that it doesn't really impact my outlook - enjoy the rest of your weekend and beat the hell outta whoever is next. Which means I have to go look at the schedule to see who that is

Another way is to watch games where you have no emotional attachment. I love when November rolls around and ESPN has Tuesday/Wednesday night games. Non-power 5 teams that more often than not are flat out fun to watch. Just good college football games.

Truth is, I would rather work on Bonfire than go to a game while I was a student and quit caring much at all on a Saturday when A&M was playing Oklahoma and OU was favored by at least 14. A&M drove down the field on the opening drive and stalled on the goal line. RC kicked the FG. Turned it off after the FG. A&M lost by 21 as I recall.
That was it. Life is too short to spend it worked up about Aggie football failures. After all, it is a big business and it is not my business.

Helpful to remind yourself of that fact.

It's easy to say to just have low expectations when the team is clearly bad. What's hard is when they have some good moments, make you believe again, then fall apart.

There's way too much emphasis, at all levels (HS, College, Pros), on football in Texas.

And generally nationwide.

I'm as guilty as anyone.

Brandon leone's comment says it all to anyone watching the game. " They have about 15 true difference makers. We have about 3 " Jimbo has proven he is capable of winning a NC. It's going to take time to get and develop those " 15 true difference makers "

WC94 said:

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I thought bourbon on the rocks was the key?

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When you get to straight out of the bottle, you have arrived at the turning point.

I'm not begrudging you for doing this. But what you're basically describing is a level of apathy. I'm too young for that.....for now.

You are right on. Could not have said it any better. Life is too short to worry about next year EVERY year.

I decided to become a full blown heroin addict. Whether we win or "run out of time" I'm numb. Works for me.

RC was a defensive genius but an offensive moron. Saw him let the clock run out with the ball before halftime and not use any of the 3 timeouts remaining. Didn't try to get in field goal range. Happy to head into the locker room with a 2 point lead. Then we'd get out scored and lose the game by 3 points and eventually I'd turn off the tv at halftime when I saw him drain the clock before halftime. Mind boggling. Yes his overall record was good and those were the days of the wrecking crew and some great running backs and tough QBs like Bucky Richardson.

Ignore the word expectations for a moment. I wasn't impressed with any of our hires after Sherrill. I wasn't paying attention prior to matriculating as the first Aggie in fall of 1979 (we are up to five in my parents' household, mine, and my wife's brother and sister in law and I had a hand in all but who my brother-in-law married.)

Slocum was a clean up hire who was a decent caretaker on defense but didn't bother figuring out offense. Fran was fine at SWTSU and TCU, but his hurry to leave Bama should have been a warning sign. Sherman was a very good hire on a limited budget but his coordinators not so much.

Sumlin if he were here for two years and got hired by the Bidwells would be very well regarded. And his record over his tenure was above average if not borderline good. Just that nasty expectations word that did him in. If we had none he would have been great for years.

I think Jimbo is a terrific hire. I don't expect (the root of expectations) a great year this year. I know I would prefer an OL coach who was over four years executing a corn-fed beef strategy for getting offensive linemen ready. I'm disappointed that Jimbo didn't have a great rep with OL at FSU and it isn't much better here even with the mystical Jim Turner and his chalk talk both here and now gone. Hopefully that gets addressed without the 3-4 year wait that $Bill advertised during Sherman's tenure which gave us the Manziel mania when Sumlin took over.

I watch expecting to compete, to progress in a forward direction, and to win. I don't expect miracles though I'll take them if they are in our favor.

I feel today's college football environment needs less money in it. That would cure a lot of dumb. But that isn't something the NCAA and the schools can fix. Only alumni voting with their feet and donations can address it.

I will say there is some hope Jimbo turns this around. We can't hold it against him past coaches. Need to give him some time. Success isn't guaranteed though but I haven't given up.

Now compare to the cowboys. I've given up long ago. As long as Jerry and his family are in charge, there is zero chance. None. Zippo. It is difficult to imagine anyone being worse at their job. One person on earth can fire him and it is himself.

A lot of it has to do with age and maturity as well. I used to be the same way for decades and then in the last 10 years I just changed my attitude about it. I've had season tickets to Aggie football for 32 years +4 is a student so been going consistently for 36 years. You'll enjoy it a lot more if you don't freak out every week. Very well said.

Oh, people will try to counter with the but we've been so much money, but we should expect more, etc. etc. yada yada yada but honestly everything you said is so true but people have to get there on their own time. Not about giving up or expecting good things, it's about reality and managing things in life that come at you.

I can promise people when it's really good it's awesome. I've been at so many key games over the last 36 years I cannot tell you the joy and euphoria. I've also seen the 77-0 games and it sucks. But it's all college football. Alabama's on top of their game now and has been for years but people forget it was not long ago they had some really crappy years too. No one can stay up forever and it's so exciting when those unexpected teams come your way.

don't delude your self. You are not enjoying, just merely tolerating it.

If your alma mater is A&M, you can pay less attention so...its less irritating because you are preoccupied...but you are not enjoying the current state of A&M football...deny all you want.

Hey ladies. Where is the message board the men post on? This can't be it.

mm42 said:

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Hey ladies. Where is the message board the men post on? This can't be it.

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You mean the panty-wadding board? Literally every other post...

You ladies disappoint, came in looking for bourbon recommendations...

Ags lose a game against the best team in the land.

"Hug your kids."

Boring post, OP.

the op is a nice formula for avoiding personal pain. but if everybody embraces it, you have a crappy home field environment and mediocre product on the field. the system needs some of you people to be irrational and sacrifice your happiness and resources to fund it for the rest of us.

OKC~Ag said:

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If your alma mater is A&M, you can pay less attention so...its less irritating because you are preoccupied...but you are not enjoying the current state of A&M football...deny all you want.

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what's to enjoy about a .500 team?

JT said:

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the op is a nice formula for avoiding personal pain. but if everybody embraces it, you have a crappy home field environment and mediocre product on the field. the system needs some of you people to be irrational and sacrifice your happiness and resources to fund it for the rest of us.

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Where do you think the SECN money is being generated???

It became obvious a long time ago that A&M cares more about making $$ >>>>>>>>winning football games. Our entire football program is really good at one thing. Generating revenue. That's been THE FOCUS for a long time. They are successful at what they are trying to do so I give them credit. You can't really believe that all this time, with all of our advantages, that our football team just couldn't make it over the hump due to bad luck? You really have to try and be as mediocre as we have been all these years and A&M has perfected it while still cashing in the big bucks. Sure lately they have shown some 'signs' that they are trying but I just don't think they know how to or really much care about winning as much as they care about the money train continuing to roll. That's the culture problem we have at A&M.

They can always rely on the loyalty of Aggies to show up, pay up, and not complain too much with a mediocre product.

The ol' A&M AD once told us to manage our expectations. Well, that's exactly what I'm going to do. Just don't expect me to show up and pay up, or really give much of a damn about your $$ making cash cow mediocre football program. A lot of our few good players seem to only care about making $$ in the NFL, the coach has guaranteed riches and is set for life, what do we get out of it? Disappointment year after year. Most programs hav to win to grow into a $$ making powerhouse. We put the cart before the horse.

This is a great thread.
I've been an "outsider" for many years. Heck, I just made my first visit to Kyle Field this past weekend!
You know what? Even though we got torched by Bama, I still had a great time because I wasn't expecting a win.

I enjoyed the bus ride down and back to the Metroplex, I enjoyed the great food, there was plenty of beer to drink, and I saw lots of young ladies with short skirts and tall boots.

I guess my point is I agree with the thread that I haven't lived and died with each snap of every single Aggie practice or two-a-days and every game on Saturday.

I've spent many years following A&M and consider myself an ardent fan, but I think the key is to also have priorities that allow me to have an escape route if the season goes south. I love Texas A&M,but I don't consider myself obsessed with the win/loss ledger.

In the long run, nothing really matters anyway.

The secret to enjoying college football season: dvr any game we have a decent chance of losing. Wait to find out if we won- watch it if we do. Delete if we lost. Watch the cupcake games live.

I have generally switched to this and has been a much better experience. For one, I don't waste 4 hours on games we lose. Lawn gets done instead, spend time playing with my kids, etc. Nor do I have to get embarrassed with family about why my team sucks again.

My mind has low expectations, but my heart hasn't cooperated fully yet...

Lack of testosterone in this thread. Beta Male AF. Your comfortable lives with your fat wives and your spoiled children have made y'all weak.

When Aggies are apathetic, our enemies have us right where they want us.

**** all this noise. You are on the Aggie train or you are getting run over by it. We damn sure aren't stopping to let you back on. If you are off the train now, might as well go to Walmart and get you a sip t shirt, they always welcome tshirt fans. I will stay on the train until Jimbo takes us to the promise land. Even if we have to wait for Saban to finally have that stroke he has coming, we will get there.

Decision time. You on the train, or you off?

I think that you can take bits and pieces from this thread and string them together to form the perfect country music song. Not modern pop-coubtry, but early 80's country, a la John Conlee. The title of the song shall be....Low Expectations

I haven't watched a full aggie game in probably a decade. Fall Saturdays are too few to spend watching football.

Sports are entertainment. Not something you are so invested in that would wreck a weekend if things didn't go your way.